§ Lord Eatwell asked Her Majesty's Government:
§ What progress is being made on the decision whether to add Chardon LL maize to the National Seeds List. [HL4434]
§ The Minister of State, Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (Baroness Hayman)UK Agriculture Ministers proposed the addition of Chardon LL to the UK National List in March. After objections to the proposal were raised, Mr Alun Alesbury was appointed by Ministers to hear representations in relation to the proposed listing, and a hearing is currently under way.
The Government have now learned from the French authorities that the data from French trials on varietal distinctness, uniformity and stability (DUS), which supported the Chardon application for National Listing in the UK, were based on 1 year's data from accredited breeders' trials and 1 year's data from government-run trials. This is apparently one of the procedures allowed by the French authorities for DUS trials of new maize varieties. The relevant directive (72/180/EEC) requires two years of official trials.
Ministers are taking urgent legal advice on this issue and the implications of the information for the current hearing. MAFF is seeking further information from the French authorities and consulting the European Commission about the implications for National Listing decisions across the EU.
Chardon LL will only be added to the UK National List if all the legal requirements have been fully met.